Forever
by Holly Whyte
Summary: Nine years after Ash's Pokémon journey began, one character's hospitalization draws the others back to Pallet Town. (Rated M for later chapters)
1. Prologue: Delia

**DELIA**

Her fingers moved swiftly as she keyed in her son's number, but she was still in a daze - the many calls she'd already had to make were beginning to take their toll. She hoped that he'd moved on from that Pokémon Centre, and then hated herself for it. At least she could take some comfort in knowing that his reaction could not possibly be any worse than the last person she had called, but that did not guarantee that this would be easy.

"Hey, Mom!" Ash's energetic greeting boomed through the speakers, not quite in sync with his picture. However, it was not long before he had time to register Delia's expression. "What's wrong?" _Everything_, she thought.

"I..." she sniffed, and inhaled deeply before continuing. She just didn't seem to be able to catch her breath since this morning. "It's...Samuel, I mean...Professor Oak. He's...he's in the hospital, Ash." Saying it should have made it feel more real, but it didn't. It didn't matter that she'd told six people, having to repeat herself to more than one of them. That last phone call had been the worst, all disbelief and hysterics. Of course, it was entirely understandable, but the fact remained that she'd had no idea how to deal with it.

"Heh, did he trip over Muk again?" She wouldn't tell him. It seemed only yesterday that he'd charged over to Samuel's laboratory in his pyjamas to receive his first Pokémon, but the reality was that it had been nine years since that day. Nine years in which to build ties, affection... She would tell him.

"He had a heart attack, Ash." They were both quiet for a while. This wasn't real. "Where's Gary?" "He's on his way from Mt. Moon. Driving, I think." She tried not to think of the previous phone call, or about how to deal with Samuel's grandson when he arrived. This still wasn't real. "Tracey's still at the hospital." Of course he was. The Professor was no longer the distant idol Tracey had seen him as in his early teens – he was the closest thing the young man had to a father. Ash simply nodded, and muttered something about how he and Misty would get to Pallet Town as soon as they could. Delia made a mental note to find out where Brock might be, too. She would ask Tracey if he had a number for him. She couldn't face talking to Gary again, not just yet.

"I'll see you soon, Mom...and I...well, y'know."

"Love you too, Ashy." As the screen went dark again, she reached for the bottle of wine and refilled her glass. It was quiet, much too quiet. This was real.


	2. Tracey

**TRACEY **

He'd counted out the change for the machine three times, and thought it was right. He was so tired. It had been around quarter to three in the morning when Delia had come banging on his door in a panic, and he hadn't been able to sleep since. The Professor wasn't able to receive visitors yet, but Tracey would wait up. It was the least he could do. He counted the coins one more time before slotting them into the machine, selecting a milky coffee and some cookies. The diet would have to be put on hold, he decided. He had much more pressing concerns right now, and he suspected that the hurried footsteps he could hear would soon be one of them. Sure enough, it was only a few seconds before he spotted the Professor's grandson tearing down the corridor.

"Hey, Gary. H-"

"Which room?"

"He's...not receiving visitors yet. That's what I-"

"Whatever, I'm going in. Are you going to tell me where he is, or am I going to find out myself?"

"I think-" Tracey had barely opened his mouth to reply before the younger man shook his head and continued to charge past him, the coffee cup toppling over. He tried to hold it in, but the searing pain in his hands was accompanied by a low-pitched hiss escaping his lips, causing Gary to turn around, his eyes growing wide.

"Shit... Hey, why didn't you say something?" He was shaking his head again. "Either you have the highest pain threshold of anyone I know, or you're even that mellow when- Never mind, c'mon." Tracey allowed himself to be grabbed by the forearm and led towards the bathrooms, grateful for the distraction in spite of the discomfort. He could deal with the overbearing, in-control Gary that turned on the taps and shoved his hands under freezing cold water without warning, but had no idea how to handle him when he was as shaken up as he'd appeared only minutes before.

"I guess I should thank you. Not quite how I'd planned it, but the coffee woke me up a bit."

"Y'know, most people would be pissed off." Gary sounded exasperated, as he splashed his own face with the cold water. "I wish I could be that calm. When I heard about Grandpa... Well, sorry you were kind of on the receiving end of that. I'll get you another coffee."

"That's okay, I...don't really fancy it any more." It didn't last more than a second, but he was sure he saw the corner of the other man's lip twitch at that. "I'm glad you're here though, I've been getting a little tired of my own company. Mrs. Ketchum was here earlier, but...it wasn't doing her any good." Gary raised his eyebrow slightly.

"You've been here the whole time? Thanks... You're really...dedicated."

"Oh, there's no need to thank me. I know he's not family, not really, but...he means a lot to me, too." He thought about his own family sometimes, but the memories of his parents were distant and, for the most part, distressing.

"I...think I'm going to move back here," Gary said suddenly. "I'd still be able to continue my research, and...well, I know he's got you and Delia, but I want to be here for him, too."

"I think he'd like that," Tracey told him softly. "I'd like that, too. It's good having you around. I mean, if you're sure it wouldn't affect your work."

"Then it's settled."

It was around an hour before one of the nurses came to tell them that the Professor's family would be able to see him. Tracey bought some more cookies and headed down the corridor, despite Gary's arguments that he should be allowed to go in with him.

"It's okay," he'd told him. "It's only right you should get to see him first. Besides, I promised Mrs. Ketchum I'd call." He wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say to her, other than that Professor Oak had at least recovered enough for them to allow Gary to see him. He supposed that was news enough, and ought to provide some comfort. His fingers stung as he keyed in the number, lamenting the fact that he probably wouldn't be able to draw for a couple of days. He'd have to find some other way to relax.

"Tracey! I wasn't expecting... I lost track of time," she admitted. She might have still been wearing her nightgown, but she didn't look as though she'd been able to get any sleep either.

"Don't worry about that, it's been a difficult morning. I just called to tell you that he can't be doing too badly, because they let Gary go in to see him." He could almost feel her relief, as she exhaled.

"Thank you, Tracey. I don't understand how you're able to stay so calm, but I'm glad that you are."

"Heh, Gary said something like that, too." He paused for a moment. "He's thinking of moving back to Pallet, to be closer to Professor Oak."

"That's...good, I suppose," she said, with a smile, but Tracey noticed her tone had changed for an instant. He suspected he might know why, but he didn't wish to pry. "I don't know if he has plans for tonight, but would you mind staying with him? Even if Samuel is feeling a little better, I don't think he should be on his own."

"Sure." He didn't mention that he doubted Gary would want to spend an entire evening with him, or how awkward it would be if they did. It wasn't that they didn't get along, but they'd never been particularly close. The only other person Gary was close to was his grandpa. Other than him, the only ones he seemed to have a real connection with were his Pokémon and, in particular, Umbreon, who was now often out of her Pokéball almost as often as Ash's Pikachu. Gary wasn't cold, but merely distant.

He talked to Mrs. Ketchum a little while longer before hanging up, and then sat back down near the coffee machine to eat his cookies. He felt guilty for eating so much this morning, but it couldn't be helped. Stress had a habit of playing havoc with his appetite, and when he was self-conscious about the weight he'd put on over the last couple of years, he ate more. His thoughts were interrupted as the nearest door swung open and he saw Gary, looking significantly brighter than when he'd entered his grandpa's room.

"He's going to be okay," Gary said, cutting him off before he could ask the question. "He's resting now...and we should both be able to see him by tomorrow. But right now, if you don't mind, we should get out of this place. I really hate hospitals." Before he'd finished speaking he was already making for the exit, and Tracey could do little more than follow.


	3. Misty

**MISTY**

"And what if I do have Brock's number? Jealous?" she asked, with a sideways glance.

"No way," Ash smirked. "I was just going to say we should go call him when the bus gets to Pallet." _Will it ever arrive? _she wondered, with a sigh. Typically, it had already been delayed twice, and although they weren't far off, she didn't want to get too hopeful.

"You know, if you'd have called Gary, he could have given us a lift. I mean, I thought you guys made up."

"Pfft, I don't need his help," he replied with a wave of his hand, unaware of Pikachu diving out of the way. Misty rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well I would have liked some help. Right, Pikachu?" She grinned as the electric mouse made a silent gesture of agreement. "This bus is really getting to me...what _is _that smell? It's like a combination of rotten eggs, manure, and everything gross!"

"...You just answered your own question."

"I told you, the bus is getting to me." _More like _you're _getting to me, _she thought miserably. Of course, it was Professor Oak, too, but this situation with Ash had been ongoing for a couple of months now. It was true that things had been stressful recently, and she knew that he wasn't happy at work, but she had never known him to be quite _this_ prickly. She glanced at her cellphone, secretly hoping for a signal so that she would be able to call Daisy back. Even if she did speak to her sister though, she doubted that she would receive much news about the gym. Most likely, they would want to talk to her about colour schemes and flower arrangements, and the perfect shoes to go with-

"Hey, is that the Oak Corral in the distance?" asked a round-faced little girl, pointing to what was indeed the windmill by the Oak Laboratory. It was still a way off, but at least now if the bus was delayed, they were easily within walking distance. She almost smiled, thinking back to the days when she, Ash and Brock had wandered across Kanto and back. She may have complained at the time but the sense of nostalgia that accompanied those memories of travelling with her friends, unhindered by duty or responsibility, would often convince her that those had been the best days of her life. Her position as Gym Leader was one that suited her in many ways, but never again would she be able to experience such freedom.

Ash had once again withdrawn into the sullen demeanour that was rapidly becoming his most defining characteristic. _At least it's justified, at a time like this, _Misty thought. She, too, was fond of Professor Oak, but Ash had known the man better than she had, and for longer. He was almost as close to him as he was to his mother. She couldn't help but wonder whether things might not have been so hard on him, had his biological father been around. He never had returned from his travels and, as far as she was aware, Ash had yet to meet the man. Perhaps he did have dim memories of a childhood in which his father had been present, but if so that was something he had yet to share with anyone. _Which would be worse_, she wondered, _never having met his father, or remembering the man who had abandoned his wife and son to follow his dreams?_

Truthfully, Misty barely remembered her own parents. Perhaps that had been what brought her closer to Ash over the years after they reunited. She had her sisters, as he had his mother, but there was always something missing – something the two of them shared, and together it seemed to become bearable. She had never stopped missing her parents, but it had not been until taking over Cerulean Gym that it hit her hardest. While her body changed and her hormones raged, she did her best to fulfil a role that many adults found challenging. The only ones to visit her regularly had been Daisy and Tracey, and she was grateful to them both, but what had kept her going were those letters and postcards from Ash. Sometimes, she would still smile, imagining him bashfully writing them in secret while his companions slept.

"Sorry once more for the delay, but we _are _nowarriving in Pallet Town," said the driver, sounding even more exasperated than her passengers. Sure enough, the bus stop was now in sight. Misty stood up and stretched, before reaching for their hastily packed travel bag in the overhead compartment.

"Here, let me get that." She looked to her right to see a cheerful young man with blonde hair. He had five Pokéballs attached to his belt, and retrieved the bag for her with ease.

"Oh, thanks," she smiled, almost instantly scolding herself. She mustn't smile at other men, especially Pokémon trainers. Without looking at Ash, she could already sense his seething envy – she should have known better. Most likely, he would spend the afternoon pretending nothing was wrong, while simultaneously being as awkward as possible. After making sure that he was close behind her, she made sure to depart quickly. She made her way to the front of the bus, thanked the driver, and stepped out onto the familiar ground of her fiancé's hometown.

Ash went to the laboratory in case his mother had decided to stay there, keeping an eye on things, though Misty suspected that he had simply wanted to be alone for a while. That was fine by her. It was no surprise then that the first place she ended up was Mrs. Ketchum's house. What was surprising was, first of all, that nobody answered the door and then, when she unlocked the front door, the number of empty wine bottles strewn across the floor.

"Mrs. Ketchum?" Misty called, her voice feeling alien on her own lips. This whole situation was wrong. Ash's mother barely finished a glass of wine on special occasions.

"Mime!" came the reply from upstairs. Ash rushed up, and she followed. What they found in the main bedroom was a very distressed Mr. Mime hovering over an unconscious Mrs. Ketchum. She froze. She was five again, and she was powerless. _Shit, shit, shit. What do I do? _As quickly as the panic had taken hold of her, it released its grip. Misty could see now that, while she was certainly a little worse for wear, it was simply a case of too much wine. There had been no empty painkiller packets amongst the glass bottles downstairs.

"Mrs. Ketchum," she repeated softly, as she brushed the brunette's hair from her face. She was stirring, opening her eyes slowly.

"Misty?" Her voice was hoarse, and filled with despair, as though she had not wanted to be drawn out of whatever dream she may have been lost in. "Ash...he's not here, yet, is he?"

"He's at the lab," Misty replied gently, "I'll help you to freshen up before he gets here, but you need to tell me what's going on. You had me really worried just now." With Mr. Mime's help, she managed to sit Ash's mother on the bed, and set herself to untangling the knots in her hair.

"I'm...so sorry," she began to sob.

"Please, don't worry about it. Things like this happen to most of us once in a while...I've had to take care of my sisters more times than I can count. I'll go run you a bath, so you can have a nice long soak."

"This is...just too much, Misty. I can't lose him."

"Professor Oak? He...was your mentor, right? I know how important he must be to you."

"No," she replied sadly, "you don't."


End file.
